Moroccan cheese trail

Chefchaouen in northwestern Morocco is loved foremost for its mountains. Travellers from all over the world arrive with hiking poles and backpacks eager to dirty their boots on the many trails leading out from town.

But if there is a second thing it is famous for, it is goat cheese. The name of the town itself—Chefchaouen—refers to the shape of the nearby mountains that resemble the horns of a goat. Numerous herds of the scruffy animal wander the streets and arid hillsides, managed by sturdy old women wielding sticks.

In some countries, goat cheese is considered a luxury item, sold in precious portions as “chevre” in fancy restaurants and upscale supermarkets. It costs a fortune and is often served with a carefully chosen wine. But in the streets markets of Chefchaouen, vendors sell large fresh rounds of it for the price of beans.

For all the fanfare surrounding it, goat cheese is a humble and earthy food. It is one of the earliest made dairy products, originating thousands of years ago among semi-nomadic tribes of the nearby eastern Mediterranean. Unlike other domestic stock that requires lush pasturelands, goats are not fussy. They happily browse on thorny shrubs and sparse grasses and will try to eat your shirtsleeve if you let them!

Goat cheese is served in most of Chefchaouen’s restaurants, and you can also buy some at the afternoon street market to pack along on your treks. There are also a few co-operatives where cheese-makers share hygienic facilities and information. One, known as “Ajbane,” is part of a program to lift rural people out of poverty.

Since Chefchaouen is a “dry” town, you won’t be able to pair your goat cheese with wine. Fortunately, it pairs marvelously with a mountain-view and handful of dates.

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